How do you pronounce precursor?

The recorded pronunciation is /pɹɪˈkɜː.sə/.

Where does precursor come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

precursor

/pɹɪˈkɜː.sə/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.44 in modern English

Syllables: pre-cur-sor
IPA: /pɹɪˈkɜː.sə/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.

noun

One of the compounds that participates in the chemical reaction that produces another compound.

adj

Caused by the following symbol.

Example Sentences

"Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:[…]. The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light. The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the “water-oxidizing complex”, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom."

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English precursour, from Middle French precurseur or its etymon Latin praecursor (“forerunner”). By surface analysis, precurse + -or.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: *ḱers-, precursour, precurseur, praecursor

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /pɹɪˈkɜː.sə/
British English: /pɹɪˈkɜː.sə/

Inflected Forms

precursors (plural) præcursor (alternative)

Derived Forms

bioprecursor cardioprecursor myoprecursor nanoprecursor neuroprecursor nonprecursor oligoprecursor osteoprecursor precursorial precursorship precursory

Phrases

precursor enzyme precursor tip

Frequently Paired Words

cursor ISI

Synonyms

antecedent beforemath foremath precedent precursor progenitor harbinger forerunner predecessor herald

Antonyms

postcursor aftermath consecution derivative follower sequel

Rhymes With

mercer cursor purser reverser verser